The European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC) is an independent association representing medicinal chemistry societies in Europe. Its objective is to advance the science of medicinal chemistry by promoting cooperation and networking, by providing training and mentoring, by rewarding scientific excellence, and by facilitating communication and influencing stakeholders.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics, antifungal or antivirals, and is a serious issue that threatens to render many of the treatments we use today ineffective in the future – from tuberculosis to HIV, from pneumonia to other common infections.

The STOA Working Breakfast was an outcome of the work of the EFMC Working group on “Influence on European science policy”, chaired by Anders Karlén, in collaboration with EuCheMS.

(please note that the outcomes will also soon be available at STOA´s website)

Workshop Outcomes – Forward Look

This workshop attracted a capacity audience including at least six MEPs. It was chaired by Paul Rübig MEP, Chair of STOA.

Clear recommendations emerged from the Workshop. These include:

Antimicrobial resistance, of which antibiotic resistance is a subset, is a current problem in Europe that could become much worse; it is an even more serious problem in developing countries.

Better use of current antimicrobials is essential. This should include:

Enforcement of the ban on using antimicrobials in agriculture for anything other than treating disease

A major advertising campaign to ensure prescribed doses of antimicrobials are taken to completion

Better diagnostics to help doctors identify the correct antimicrobial to use

Ensuring that all doctors know when antimicrobial treatment is required

In addition to the better use of current antimicrobials, novel antimicrobials are urgently needed to treat multiresistant microbes.

Pharmaceutical companies will not, on their own, tackle antimicrobial resistance, because there is presently a predicted negative return on investment for a new antimicrobial drug.

Antimicrobial resistance should not be considered as a problem to be addressed in isolation, but in conjunction with efforts to address other medical problems of major European concern that are currently not tackled effectively, including e.g. ageing related and psychiatric diseases.

There is thus an urgent need for a consortium to be created involving pharmaceutical companies, philanthropists, the EC, and national governments to provide leadership and funding to tackle this problem. This consortium should:

Set up 1-3 major focused hubs for medicinal chemistry research in fields including antibacterial/antimicrobial/anti-infective development. The centres should tackle several disease areas in order to ensure continuity of funding and critical mass of activity. Specialist activities, e.g. high throughput screening / crystallography could be carried out in well linked spokes, not necessarily within the hubs